LILO & STITCH
Starring: Mia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnussen, Courtney B. Vance, Amy Hill, Tia Carrere, Kaipo Dudoit, Hannah Waddingham and Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
NICK
Ohana means family, and who better to tell a live-action/animated hybrid story of family than director Dean Fleischer Camp? Although this doesn’t resonate as well as Marcel the Shell (this is, after all, more specifically geared to children), it’s still touching. Stitch (Chris Sanders) is an obvious highlight, but I really liked the way this became Nani’s (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) story, as it gives the film a new angle. Not all of the changes work (I did not like Zach Galifianakis here), but at least attempts were made. I wouldn’t say this is the best live-action Disney remake, but it’s certainly one of the better ones.
ADRIANO
I may be beating a dead horse with some stuff I say about these live-action Disney movies, but Lilo & Stitch is another example of a shot-for-shot remake that is soulless and unfunny. The changes made range from minimal to non-existent, and they are all-around bad. Sure, Stitch (Chris Sanders) is cute. Go sell your toys, Disney. Otherwise, there is no sense of heart anywhere near this remake of one of the most heartfelt films ever. I'm perplexed by the people calling it one of the better Disney remakes because I think it's one of the worst.
AMARÚ
Director Dean Fleischer Camp proves once again that he knows how to endear audiences to great characters through great performances, as the relationship between Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) and Lilo (Maia Kealoha) is as emotionally strong in the live-action Lilo & Stitch as it is in the beloved original. Add in Stitch’s (Chris Sanders) chaotic cuteness, and there’s a lot to enjoy; however, there’s also the film’s superficial non-human aspects, which are rendered even more saccharine through light-speed editing, leaving a lot to… not enjoy. Luckily, Camp puts much more focus on the stronger elements, creating a touching and heartwarming experience.
